By Martin MacMahon

Canada will play Japan on March 22 in Qatar, as the men's national team prepares for this summer's CONCACAF Gold Cup in July.

The Canadian national men’s team will take on Japan for its third match of 2013 on March 22 at the Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

The last time the sides squared up against one another, at the 2001 Confederations Cup, Japan was victorious 3-0 through three second-half goals to please a home crowd of 39,006 at the Niigata Stadium in Niigata, Japan.

This follows recent announcements of friendlies against Denmark on Jan. 26 in Tucson, Arizona, and against the United States on Jan. 29 in Houston, Texas.

These matches are intended to prepare Canada for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer in the United States which runs from July 7-28.